Sixth graders honor veterans as Wreaths Across America procession passes through Goshen
GOSHEN – The usual weekday hustle of Main Street was brought to a standstill Wednesday morning to recognize a simple act of service for the nation’s veterans and soldiers.
A convoy of emergency service vehicles representing nearly every agency in Orange County paraded through the center of the village, past the imposing stone steeple of the First Presbyterian Church and a statue honoring the Orange Blossoms, a locally based Union regiment that was present for the Confederate surrender at Appomattox during the Civil War.
Pulling up the rear of the motorcade of flashing lights and sirens was a sleek black tractor trailer, which lumbered to a halt in front of the Goshen schoolhouse.
There, dozens of sixth graders eagerly greeted its passengers – a father-son duo and a bounding Bernese mountain dog named Stanley – with a flurry of miniature American flags and chants of “USA!”
The pair are Ervin Henschel Jr. and Ervin Henschel Sr., on a mission to deliver thousands of holiday wreaths with Wreaths Across America.
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The younger Henschel, a driver for Pennsylvania-based Smith Transport, is a Coast Guard veteran. His father, an Army veteran, fought in Vietnam.
The sixth graders serenaded parade participants and spectators with renditions of the National Anthem and “God Bless America” before presenting the Henschels with flowers, Goshen gear and a box of dog biscuits for Stanley.
“To me, it’s more meaningful coming from the kids,” said sixth grade teacher Patty Capocciamo. “It’s a wonderful chance to honor our veterans and teach our students the importance of the sacrifices they made.”
The Henschels stopped in Goshen on their way from Maine to Arlington National Cemetery, where the organization hopes to place a holiday wreath on the grave of every soldier buried there.
The tradition was started in 1992 by Morrill Worcester, a Maine-based wreath maker, who went on to found Wreaths Across America as a national nonprofit in 2007.
Volunteers will gather Dec. 16 at the national cemetery to place a wreath at each headstone, reciting the names of the deceased soldiers as they go.
Wreaths Across America is just over 60% of the way to its annual goal, and is still seeking sponsorship of 101,105 wreaths. For more information, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org.
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Wreaths Across America procession in Goshen en route to Arlington
